How to Save a Chart as a Template

create-a-combo-chart-in-excel

The following guide explains the basics of creating an Excel Chart and saving it as a template using a few easy steps.

Create chart templates using built-in Excel charts to change the default look of your graph. Our goal is simple: Build reusable charts for specific projects. We will explain all the steps to create, save, and manage a chart template based on custom graphs.

How to Save an Excel Chart as a Template

Keep in mind the following rules:

  1. Get rid of junk parts: The newly inserted chart contains unwanted elements. Using proper chart formatting, remove the extra legends, labels, borders, or grids.
  2. Create easy-to-read charts: To improve readability, format the chart first. For example, remove the background and decrease the gap between bars.
  3. Use a proper color scheme: “Less is more” when discussing colors.

#1. Combine two chart types

The example will show you how to create a simple plan / actual chart using a line and a clustered column chart. First, select the data you want to display. In this case, we use the range B2:D14.

Locate the Insert Tab on the ribbon and click the Combo chart icon.

create-a-combo-chart-in-excel

#2. Customize the Chart

Before saving a chart as a template, it is worth applying some formatting steps to improve the visual quality of the graph. You can customize the following properties:

  • Chart Title
  • Colors
  • Gap with
  • Axis
  • Legends
customize-the-chart

#3. Save a Chart as a Template

Steps to save a chart as a template in Excel:

  1. Right-click the selected chart, then select ‘Save as Template’.
  2. Add a name for the new template in the File name box.
  3. Click Save to save the chart as a chart template (*.crtx)
How-to-Save-a-Chart-as-a-Template-in-Excel

That’s easy! After that, open a new project: your saved chart template will appear and be ready.

#4. Use the saved template

Now we have a saved custom graph; let’s see how to use it!

Steps to insert a chart template:

  1. Select the data that you want to display
  2. Click on ‘Recommended Charts‘ under the Insert Tab
  3. Select the All Charts Tab
  4. Choose the Template
  5. Click OK
insert-a-chart-template

Where do I find chart templates in Excel? Excel will save all chart templates to your computer (local drive). You can find your prepared chart under the location below.

The default location is:

C:\Users\[username]\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Templates\Charts

How-to-manage-add-or-delete-Templates

Click the ‘Manage Templates’ button to get the Template Gallery from Excel. Delete the chart if it’s not necessary anymore.

Delete-move-or-rename-a-chart-template

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